Rotary guide



L. E. SIMMONS ROTARY GUIDE July 25, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1945 fizz/6722597:

ZeonEI 627127120720.

mfg.

July 26, 1949. E,S|MMQNS 2,477,097

YROTARY GUI-DE Filed April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1949 ROTARY GUIDE Leon 2E. IS'imnmns, Glarcmont, N. -H assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,067

11 claims. (01. 308- 181) This-invention relates to rotary guide bearings, and'mcre particularly to an improved guiding means-tor a cutter chain at the'outer end of a mining machine cutter bar f-or guiding the cutter chain about the curved end of the bar.

In coal cutting machines an endless cutter jcutter chain is guided for circulation about the margin-oi a relatively narrow elongated plane cutter bar, and ofttimes a "rotary guide is arranged at the outer end oi the bar for guiding the cutter chain as it passes around the curved end of the bar. The rotary guide may be eithera chain guide sprocket or a guide roll, and, due to the location-of'the guide at the outer end of the cutter bar, it is extremely difiicultto pro-- vide adequate bearing means-for the guideas well as adequate'lubrication Tor-the guide bearings. It also desirable to provide a dirt seal for the guide bearings, and, in the event some dirt does attain access to the internal bearing structure, it is desirable to provide a space in which such dirt may remain when it is thrown off from the bearlugs, instead of having-to be-continuously carried around and around'and cause wear.

An object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved hearing means for-a. rotary guide. Another object to provide an improved guiding means associated wit/ha cutter loar for a cutter chain as it passes around the curved end of the cutter bar. A further-object'is to provide an is proved bearing mounting for a rotary chain guide at the outer end of a mining machine cutter bar. A still rurther object is to provide an improved bearing mounting for a rotary guide wherein bearings are provided for the inner and outer surfaces of the guide. Still another object is to provide'an improved guide bearing having improved lubricating means and improved dirt collecting means. 'Yet another object is to "provide an improved guide bearing of the'roller chain type. A still nn'ther object is to provide an improved rotary chain guide constructed in an improved manner to reduce the possihilityc-f access of dirt to the bearings. Still another object is to provide an annular rotary guide havin improved bearing means coacting with the inner and outer surfaces of the guide, whereby the-latter is journaled in an improved manner. These and other objects and advantages of the invention however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown for purposes 'ofillus'tration two forms which the invention may assume in practice.-

In these drawings:

:Fig. l is a view-partially in plan'and partially in horizontal section, :of the outer extremity of a cutter :bar equipped with an illustrative form oi the improved uide hearing.

Fig. is a view in vertical section takensubstan' tlally on line :22 of Fig. land on a larger scale.

3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing amodifled form of guide bearing.

l is :a vertical sectional view taken substantiaZlly-on line 4-4 :of Fig. 3' and on a larger scale.

.In both illustrative embodiments of the invention,'the improved guide bearing is associated with a narrow elongated plane cutter :bar I having straight parallel side guideways 2, 2 and a curved guicleway '3 at the curved outer end of the cutter bar, the curved guideway .3 joining the parallel side guideways 2. An endless cutter chain t 'is guided for circulation in the bar guideways about the margin of the cutter bar and includes, as shown, conventional chain blocks "5 pivotally connected at 5 to connecting strap links 1. The cutter 'bar includes upper and lower plates 8, 8 and intermediate side ioars 9, 9, the bars and plates being rigidly connected together as by bolts M. The side bars 9 are arranged in laterally spaced relation to provide a longitudinal recess If therebetween at the longitudinal center of the cutter bar, and the outer ends of the side bars are beveled at it. The chain blocks 5 of the cutter chain carry usual cutter bits 13 held on the chain blocks! 'by usual set screws M.

Now referring to the improved rotary guide bearing shown in its preferred formin FigsJl and 2, it will he observed that an annular guide roll l5 surrounds a generally circular bearing support It arranged between and recessed within the'bar plates 8, '8 and rigidly secured to the bar as "by bolts [1. Encircling the circular bearing support is between the outer, generally cylindrical surface it? of the latter and the inner cylindrical surface I9 oi the guide roll 15 is an endless roller type chain bearing 2:0. This chain hearing consists of a series of bearing rollers 2i mounted on pins '22 connected by pivoted straps '23. Arranged atthe' opposite sides ol the guide roll P5 are thrust rings 24 having annlflar portions received in annular grooves in the inner surfaces of the bar "plates *8 and held against bodily rotation with respect to the-bar plates by dowel pins '25. These thrust rings absorb the end thrust of the guide-roll and chain bearings, and constitute dirt seals. The circular hearing support It has a chamber 26 for receiving lubricant, and a passage '21 conducts the lubricarit-fromthe chamber to the roller chain bearing. At the side of the hearing support '15 opposite to that which is engaged by the cutter inclined surfaces 32 engaging the beveled surfaces- I2 on the outer ends of the side bars 9. This bearing block has recesses 33 formed in its opposite faces and connected by a passage 34, and these recesses are adapted to contain a lubricant for the bearings. The lubricant recesses '26 and 33 are provided with filler plugs 35 and 36 conveniently located at the opposite sides of the cutter bar to permit replenishing of the lubricant supply.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cutter bar and cutter chain structure is similar to that above described. In this instance, surrounding a circular bearing support 31 arranged Within the cutter bar between the bar plates are bearing sleeves 38 by means of which a guide sprocket 39 is journaled. The bearing support 37 has formed in its opposite faces recesses 40 connected by a passage 4|, and these recesses are adapted to contain a lubricant for the bearings. Relatively narrow passages 42 connect the recesses 40 with the inner surfaces of the bearing sleeves to permit free lubricant flow, and these passages also provide recesses for collecting. any dirt thrown off from the bearing sleeves. As shown, the guide sprocket has sprocket teeth 43 adapted to project between the ends of the chain blocks and between the strap links in the manner shown. A guide block 44 engages at 45 the outer cylindrical surface of the guide sprocket at the side of the latter more remote from the free end of the cutter bar, and this member is centrally arcuately grooved at 46 to permit the passage of the sprocket teeth 43 past the guide block. The guide block 44 is similarly positioned with respect to the side bars of the cutter bar as the block30, and has similar lubricant recesses.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that, by the provision of the improved bearing structure for the rotary guide, the latter is journaled at its inner and outer surfaces in an improved manner. By the provision of the improved guide structure, not only is the rotary guide adequately supported at its inner and outer surfaces, but also improved lubricating means is associated with the bearings. By the provision of the dirt collecting recess in the inner side of the central bearing support, any dirt which might attain access to the bearings may be collected at a point where it will do no harm to the bearing surfaces. By the provision of the roller type bearing chain in the preferred embodiment, not only is the rotary guide adequately journaled, but also the roller bearing chain, due to its construction, has a whipping action as it passes across the dirt collecting recess so that any dirt collected on the bearing is effectively thrown off. In each illustrativeembodiment of the invention an annular member ([5 or 39) engaged by the cutter chain is rotatable upon interior bearings which turn with it (20 or 38) and in each embodiment a stationary thrust bearing surface-providing element (30 or 44) rotatably supports the annular member engaged by the chain, and if there is any play upon the interior bearings, so to speak, there is provided support and guiding and thrust absorption by the members 30 or 44. The further manners of use and other advantages of the improved guide bearing will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration; and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary guide, an annular rotary guide member having concentric inner and outer hearing surfaces and with which an element to be guided is engageable, and a bearing mounting for said guide member having inner bearing means engaging said inner bearing surface and outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface, said outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface only at points spaced circumferentially of said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby. v

2. In a rotary guide, an annular rotary guide member having concentric inner and outer bearing surfaces and with which .an element to be guided is engageable, a bearing mounting for said guide member having inner bearing means engaging said inner bearing surface and outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface, said outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface only at points spaced circumferentially of said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby, and means associated with said inner and outer bearing means for supplying lubricant to said bearing surfaces. 3. In a rotary guide, an annular rotary guide member having concentric inner and outer bearing surfaces and with which an element to be guided is engageable, a bearing mounting for said guide member having inner bearing means engaging said inner bearing surface and outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface, said outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface only at points spaced circumferentially of said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby, and means provided by one of said inner and outer bearing means forming a dirt collecting recess for receiving dirt thrown off of one of the bearing surfaces.

4; In a rotary guide, anannular rotary guide member having concentric inner and outer bearing surfaces and with which an element to be guided is engageable, a bearing mounting for said guide member having inner bearing means angaging said inner bearing surface and outer hearing means engaging said outer bearing surface, said outer bearing means engaging said outer bearing surface only at points spaced circumferentially of said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby, and means provided by said inner bearing means forming a lubricant receiving recess for supplyinglubricant to the inner bearing surface.

5. In a rotary guide, an annular rotary guide member having inner and outer concentric bearing surfaces, a bearing mounting for said guide member having inner bearing means engaging said inner bearing surface and outer bearing desire to secure by means engaging said outer bearing surface, means provided by said inner bearing means forming a lubricant receiving recess for supplying lubricant to the inner bearing surface, and a dirt collecting recess also provided by said inner bearing means, the lubricant flowing from said lubricant receiving recess through said dirt collecting recess to the inner bearing surface.

6. In a rotary guide, an annular rotary guide member having concentric inner and outer bearing surfaces and with which an element to be guided is engageabie, a centrally located bearing support which is surrounded by said guide member, bearings supported by said bearing support and engaging the inner bearing surface of said guide member, and a bearing member arranged externally of said guide member and engaging said outer bearing surface of said guide member only at points spaced circumferentially with respect to said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby.

7. In a rotary guide, spaced outer plates, a rotary guide member arranged between said plates and having a cylindrical bearing surface with which an element to be guided is engageable, a cylindrical bearing support arranged between and secured to said plates, a bearing interposed between said support and said bearing surface, and an additional bearing element arranged between and secured to said plates and engaging said guide member only at points spaced circumferentially with respect to said guide member from the points of engagement with the latter of said element to be guided thereby.

8. In a rotary guide, a rotary guide member having a cylindrical bearing surface, a cylindrical bearing support, and a roller bearing chain interposed between said support and said bearing surface, said bearing support having a recess and said roller chain, as it moves across said recess, having a whipping action which tends to throw off any dirt on said chain, and said recess collecting the dirt so thrown off.

9. In a rotary chain guide, the combination with a, guide bar having parallel outer plates and parallel side bars spacing said plates and providing a recess at the longitudinal center of the guide bar, of a rotary guide at the outer end of said guide bar intermediate said outer plates for guiding a chain as it passes around said guide bar, and a bearing block positioned at the outer ends of said side bars between said plates and having a portion projecting within said recess, said block having a bearing surface engaging the outer bearing surface of said rotary guide.

10. In a rotary chain guide, the combination with a guide bar having parallel outer plates and parallel side bars spacing said plates and providing a recess at the longitudinal center of the guide bar, of a rotary guide at theouter end of said guide bar intermediate said outer plates for guiding a chain as it passes around said guide bar, and a bearing block positioned at the outer ends of said side bars between said plates and having a portion projecting within said recess, said block having a bearing surface engaging the outer bearing surface of said rotary guide, and a bearing support arranged centrally within said rotary guide between said bar plates and providing a bearing at the inner surface of said rotary guide.

11. In a rotary chain guide, a rotary guide member having lugs to coact with recesses in a chain, a generally cylindrical bearing support, bearing sleeves turning with said rotary guide member and engaging said bearing support, and a stationary bearing block having spaced guide member bearing-providing portions between which said lugs pass and which are adapted to carry a portion of the bearing load imposed by said rotary guide member when the latter is driven by a chain.

LEON E. SIMMONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

